When Ray Merrill started his career as a firefighter in Oak Harbor more than 25 years ago, he wanted to put out fires, not think about how they started.

Now, as Oak Harbor’s fire chief, he’s earned an elite certification as a fire and explosion investigator. Merrill is the only public sector fire chief in the region to earn the certification from the National Association of Fire Investigators, International.

Worldwide just 5,500 investigators hold the certification.

“I want to know what caused a fire,” he said. “Something happened and I want to know conclusively what it was and is there something we can do to prevent it in the future.”

Merrill already has been investigating fires for years, by his count more than 850. This took his knowledge and expertise to another level.

He spent three years attending classes and studying. He learned about explosion effects, ignition testing, electrostatics hazards, particulate flow, chemical reaction, detonation and combustion phenomena, fire modeling, hazards analysis, and hazards classification.

He also trained in homicide forensics investigation of fatality fires and arson. If necessary, he can testify as an expert witness in court.

The chief also is part of the Region 3 Fire Investigation Task Force, which encompasses Whatcom, Island, Skagit and San Juan counties. He’s called onto help investigate large fires or those with fatalities in other counties when needed.

Every fire by law must be investigated. Over the years, Merrill learned to love the investigative piece of his job. He described it as a giant puzzle.

“Some fires are very easy to investigate,” he said. “It’s easy to pinpoint a fire on the stove that started from cooking grease. Other fires it may takes hours and hours.”

He remembers one Oak Harbor fire investigators were never ever able to completely solve. A woman pushed her gas grill into the garage one evening. Later that night something exploded in the garage. Investigators determined a spark ignited natural gas, but it wasn’t clear if it was a faulty furnace, water heater or something with the grill.

No one was hurt. Merrill still thinks about what might have caused that fire.

At a City Council meeting earlier this month, mayor Bob Severns praised the chief for his service and for earning the certification.

“The most important thing Chief Merrill accomplished is his ability to train his people,” the mayor said. “He does that well.”

The Oak Harbor Fire Department has six firefighters trained as investigators, and that’s an unusually high number for a small town department, Merrill said. Even though the chief may not have been interested in his early days in investigation, he sees the value in spreading that knowledge.

“I can’t even tell you how impressed I’ve been with you,” said councilwoman Tara Hizon, addressing the chief at the meeting.

“Words can’t express how impressive you are and how admired you are by the community and the department.”